From Dusk To Dawn
by Cryssy-miu
Summary: What if Regina never committed the mass genocide of that town? Regina and Snow intend for a fresh start, but how will they manage to let go years of sorrow, malice, and the misdeeds of the past? Can anything really be forgotten, or is a future of conflict and pain unavoidable? Takes place in the past in "The Evil Queen", Please R
1. Chapter 1

_(Snow and Regina's relationship is my absolute favorite of the entire show, and The Evil Queen really said a lot for that relationship, and how, under the anger and desire for revenge, there was love. So I wondered what could have happened if the bodies weren't found._

_Updates of this story could be constant or it might be long periods between them._

_This is an AU to that scenario, but the events of this story does lead to the curse and everything else that happens in the show. So that should say it: this story is not going to have a fairytale ending.)_

* * *

By the time they reached the camp, night had fallen, and the forest was pitch black. Regina stepped carefully over gnarled tree roots, but Snow White navigated the woods like a pro, as if she had x-ray vision.

Her leg started to throb, but she repressed the groans of pain. The last thing she wanted was for Snow to turn around and play the saintly little nurse on her again. And for once it wasn't because it made her want to vomit in disgust; it was because she wouldn't know how to react to it.

In a span of only a matter of moments, Regina had gone from wanting Snow's head mounted to her wall, to simply wanting Snow, wanting a family, and wanting love. She had no idea how it had come to be, but she didn't question it.

Hearing what her step daughter thought of her, hearing that she still held out hope for her...it was just what she needed to hear. It meant more to her than the idea of killing the girl.

Regina felt her heart leap to her throat and nearly tear through her windpipe when a soft hand gripped hers in the dark. Snow must have felt the jolt, because she laughed.

"Easy, hunny. I just don't want you to trip on these roots. They're everywhere." She flashed the woman a playful smile. "It took me the first few days to locate where all of them were. Of course, that wasn't until after I received a few scraped knees."

The hand in her own was the same size as hers, but for a moment it felt tiny again, fitting into Regina's the way it did when Snow was a little girl, and used that hand to constantly drag her everywhere.

"I hope you're hungry, Wilma, because it looks like we'll be having a wonderful feast tonight."

The peasant queen gazed over the dead chickens, impressed, and slightly amused. "You're not worried the queen will be angry you killed so much of her livestock?"

A bitter smile crossed the younger girl's face, as well as a touch of sadness. "Well, she blames me for everything else. Why not give her another reason?"

The mirthful smile on Regina's face fell quickly, and she cleared her throat as she helped throw kindling and logs into the make-shift fire pit Snow had fashioned. The previous walk had caught up to her and she finally cried out in pain as a jolt of agony shot up her leg. Snow White pushed her gently into a sit.

"You shouldn't strain yourself, Wilma. You're still injured." They were eye to eye now, those gentle, concerned eyes Regina always wanted to stab a knife through mere inches away from her own.

"Well, I know, but...I thought it was the least I could do. You saved me..." There was a much deeper meaning to those words, and of course it was lost on Snow. The black haired woman smiled gently and rubbed her shoulder before returning to the fire.

"Anyone else would have done the same thing."

No, they wouldn't, and Regina can attest to that. If she had seen Snow in that position, about to be be-headed, well...she'd probably be the one doing the execution. Not everyone was good, not everyone could be the role model Regina finally believed the young princess was.

"Not everyone... Not everyone can be as good as you." She swallowed, and felt tears prickle. "Not everyone has the will and strength. Darkness is so easy to turn to. I always thought it saved you pain...but it only brings more."

Snow White was silent, and her eyes had hardened in a mixture of suspicion and confusion, but the tears beginning to spill over in Regina's eyes brought the nurturing back to her. "Hey, hunny...it's okay. Everyone can be good. They just have to try."

She knelt down and took Regina's hands into her own. "To be good...you need a reason, more than anything. You need someone or something that you strive to be a good example for." A hand reached out, and delicately brushed against the queen's eyelids.

"What was your reason?" Regina murmured earnestly.

Sadness washed over the girl's features, and she glanced down at Regina's hands, giving them a light swing. "I loved someone once, and she turned to darkness. And I knew I was partially to blame for it, and I knew she blamed me. I wanted my heart to be pure for her sake, because I wanted to show her that a person _can_ have a pure heart. I thought if I kept goodness in my heart, I could show her that she could too."

All these years of fantasizing of the perfect demise for the little princess, and she couldn't bring herself to do it. More, she couldn't bear to even think about it. This had been her mission for countless years.

_So why am I just giving it up?_

The answer was so pure in its simplicity. _Because she's all I have left._ She had no one. There was no one to love her, no one to give her a chance. Somehow the child she raised and hated, the child whose father she murdered was the only one that hadn't given up hope in her.

"But it just was not to be. I could never change the hate she felt for me. I believe she still has goodness in her, but it will never be for me."

The answer came out before Regina could stop it. "You don't know she hates you. I know the tale of the Huntsman makes it seem that way, but she...sounds like a complex woman, from what you told me. She's struggling with who she wants to be, and she doesn't remember anything but darkness. What if there is love in her heart?"

Emotions were getting the best of Snow, and now tears had begun to fill her eyes as well. "If she still has love in her heart then it is not for me. I know she will never love me, but I hope...I hope she finds happiness—happiness that doesn't come from hurting anyone else."

The lump in Regina's throat made it almost impossible to breathe by this point, and the woman felt her body shudder with the sobs that wanted to escape. Desperate to stop anything from progressing, Regina fetched a bucket. "I'll get some water to suffocate the flames."

She limped away from her step daughter, her vision blinded by tears. Everything was a watery blur of colors, and the woman ended up tripping on a root in the darkness. Rubbing her eyes, she found the trip to her face had landed her near the spring, in a patch of flowers.

Regina reached out, and took one of the flowers into her hand, gazing at it. A hibiscus flower, one of Snow's favorites. She remembered the days when the girl was young, and she dragged her out into her garden before the sun even rose, wanting the woman to tend to it with her. It was one of the happier memories Regina could remember. The ones that weren't riddled with hate and anger.

Slowly, the woman made her way back to the campsite, cupping the blossom and keeping it hidden.

Snow smiled up at her and Regina could tell she had been crying. "Did you get the water? You could have waited, you know. I wouldn't have minded fetching it. Your leg is never going to heal if you don't stay off it." She glanced up when the other woman held her hand out to her.

"I found this, and I...I thought you'd like it."

Snow White took the delicate little blossom and gently twirled it between her fingers. A warm smile broke out on her face. "A hibiscus flower..._thank you_, Wilma. These are one of my favorite flowers."

The queen swallowed. "I know."

Tucking the flower into her curls, Snow smiled. "Really? I didn't think anyone really knew that. I mean, I haven't told..." She trailed off, the proverbial puzzle starting to slowly fall into place as she stared at the tears on the other woman's face.

Regina kept her chin up, the rims of her eyes red and wet. Snow continued to gaze at her. And then there was recognition, and absolute, unadulterated shock.

"...Regina?"

For the first time in years, Regina, the young, kindhearted woman that had saved her life, and not the Evil Queen, smiled at her. "Yes. Yes, it is me."

Instinctively, Snow White took a step back, which evoked a pleading expression from the other woman. She stared at Regina in genuine confusion, but kept her hand on her bow just in case the woman decided to go wicked witch on her. "What...what are you doing here?"

What could she say? _Well, I don't know dear, I'm here because I originally wanted to plant a knife through your chest, like I was sure I always did, and now...I don't know why I'm here._ "It...it doesn't matter."

The girl's mouth hardened and she took another step back, tightening her grip on her weapon. "I think it does matter. Since my father's death, whenever you wanted to come find me, it was never for a good reason."

"Then you know why I must have come here." She watched as her step daughter reluctantly withdrew her bow, but she still kept it down by her side. "And what if I told you my reasons for it had changed?"

"...Everything you asked me, everything you said about us..." Snow White kept her voice hard and firm, even as her eyes lit with hope. For too long this had been her dream, her heart's deepest desire, and too many times had it been shattered. She wasn't ready to give up hope, but she wasn't about to set herself up for heartbreak again. "You meant it..."

"I did..."

This was the woman that had wanted her dead for longer than she could remember, and she knew her weakness. She knew she still loved her, and she knew she'd use that to her advantage to take her down. Snow was very perceptive—something she had picked up from her father, and she knew genuineness from lies.

This broken, longing woman in front of her, her step mother, was not lying. Slowly, Snow dropped her bow and gazed at her step mother. "You want us to be a family again? You believe I'll forgive you for everything you've done?"

"You told me you would..."

Tears brimmed and Snow gave a shaky nod. "You're right, I did. I never believed it would happen though. All I ever wanted was for you to see that I understood, that I wanted to be there. I wanted to be _there_ to help you keep that light and love. I wanted you to let me in."

"Well it isn't too late for it, if you truly believe there is good in me."

Serenity, warmth, and love overpowered Snow White's voice. "I do..."

They gazed at each other with something other than anger for the first time in eons. They looked at each other, no longer seeing the Evil Queen and the villain responsible for ruining a life, but seeing a mother and a daughter.

"Where do we go from here?" Snow White asked her, and Regina smiled.

"To bed, for now. It's too late to do any traveling, but tomorrow we'll go back to the castle. Before that, I'll need to make a stop somewhere." _To get my own damned body back. _"I'll get the water this time, instead of a flower."

Regina picked up the bucket by the handle and moved through the forest, her heart feeling lighter and cleansed. For the first time in years, she could see the sunshine instead of darkness.

"Careful of the gnarled tree roots around here, Dearie. You're bound to slip in those rags of yours!"

The ghastly chortle in the darkness made the blood freeze rigid in Regina's veins. Her eyes darkened as she spun around, seething. "Rumplestiltskin...show yourself!"

He laughed in that sickening, giddy way as he hopped off a lower tree branch, and landed in front of her. "Well now I must admit, that little confession almost brought a tear to my eye!" He gave a mock sniff and ran a scaly finger over his lower eyelid.

"I don't feel like dealing with you, just give me back my body. I've slept in peasant clothes long enough."

"Oh, of course, of course. Shall I give you a sparkly dress and little angel wings as well, Dearie?" He laughed, and Regina's features tightened. "Do you really think you stand a chance at playing the kind and benevolent Queen? Ludicrous! Why, you saw what the townspeople think of you..."

"I have Snow's faith and for now that's enough. I'll work on my image with the people later."

"Oh yes," the imp sneered. "Go on, parade through the villages with the little princess. Throw flower petals out on the ground as you walk by in your carriage, and kiss babies. By the end of the day, everyone will be falling at your feet."

"What is it to you what kind of Queen I'll become? I refuse to be one of your little pawns for your sick game. You'll have to find a more willing victim." She stepped closer, eyes darkening and becoming threatening. "And you will leave us alone. You're not to come near the two of us, and if you do, I _will_ kill you."

The mocking glint in Rumplestiltskin's eyes were gone, and instead he became more menacing as he let out a bark of laughter. "You can fool Snow, you can fool yourself, but you can't fool me. I know who you are, who you come from, and who you'll be. And when she leaves you, and you're back into little pieces with no one to pick them up, I'll be waiting...to say..." His voice grew high pitched and venomously playful again as he poked her in the chest with every word. "I. Told. You. So!"

And with purple smoke engulfing the both of them, he vanished, and Regina was left in her royal attire, staring out into the dark.


	2. Chapter 2

_(Wow, thanks everyone for the reviews and follows especially. I'm used to being washed out among all the SwanQueen, Rumbelle, and Captain Swan stuff, so this was a pleasant surprise._

_I've decided this story will probably be a little less than ten chapters. Perhaps eight or nine. There will be a few more before shit hits the fan, and updates should be once a week to once every couple weeks._

_And for the record, I forget if it was mentioned that Snow would still have her childhood room or not, or if Regina had destroyed it, and I liked the idea that Regina couldn't bring herself to destroy it._

_Lastly...how AMAZING was Sunday's episode? Oh how I cried, and the beautiful Regina and Snow interactions and connection. There's still hope for them.)_

* * *

There was too much going through Regina's mind for her to be able to sleep that night. Rumplestiltskin's voice echoed through her skull in a mantra, and each time it did it only made her more and more unsure of herself, and cause a plethora of questions.

_"I know who you are, who you've come from, and who you'll __**be..."**_

Ominous chills crept up her spine and made her clutch her blankets closer. What had he meant by that, that he knew who she'd _be?_ He was such a weird little imp, but it always made her uneasy how much he knew about her life, as if he had watched her from infancy.

_"I'm so happy we are back where we belong...together."_

At this she did shiver harshly, enough to stir Snow. That line would never cease to creep her out. Regina froze when she felt the girl beside her shift in her blankets. She rolled over, and found Snow's delicate face was facing her stepmother, content as she slept.

The queen exhaled a calm, steady breath as she looked down at the pale, white face. Even in the night it shone, and the dappled light of the moon made it glow all the more beautiful. The light bounced off Snow's black curls, and made them look like black ribbons woven around her face, and tumbling over her shoulders.

Almost as if it was instinct, Regina reached out and touched the black curls. It was the first time since she lived with the girl that she didn't envision setting the locks on fire, or snapping Snow's perfect neck.

Instead, the feeling in Regina's heart was foreign, filled with uncertainty, and inner turmoil. For the first time in years darkness wasn't clouding around her heart like a thick, unrelenting fog. Her heart saw light. It was a far cry from the innocent, pure girl she used to be, but it was something.

What was the objective here, the queen couldn't help but wonder. Everything was so much easier when it was in three simple steps: find Snow, kill Snow, and begin her reign of terror. Now everything was twisted and disorienting. She was going to go back to a castle with the one girl she had every guard in her kingdom searching for.

She'd need to be quick if a guard saw Snow. None of them knew of the abrupt change of plans, and they'd try to kill her or at the very least capture her.

Snow mumbled something in her sleep, and it snapped Regina from her thoughts. She withdrew her hand from the curls after a moment and finally settled down beside the girl, finally resting her head on the ground.

* * *

They awoke at dawn, Snow well rested, and Regina with heavy bags under her eyes from a hard night of over thinking, worrying, and no sleep.

"You don't look well," Snow commented. Concern was evident in her voice, and Regina smiled lightly. No, she wasn't well. Light was in her heart, but darkness still pumped through her veins, and her feelings for her step daughter conflicted. And she was so, so tired.

"I'll be fine, dear."

It was a poor lie, and one Regina knew Snow could see right through, but she didn't need to worry the little princess with the distorted tangle of emotions and thoughts going on in her head. "When we get back to the castle, we should get you out of those rags. It's unbecoming for a princess."

Snow White lowered a brow in annoyance, irked by how insulted her step mother sounded by the mere thought of her being in rags, when she was the cause of why she became a raggy-clad bandit in the first place. "I guess I couldn't find time to shop for something decent...running for my life and all."

Regina turned sharply to her, her expression unreadable for a moment. Neither looked at the other with anger, but it certainly wasn't with happiness either.

"Well I can have a tailor make some more gowns for you." The queen turned to see her step daughter smile, but Snow's mouth hardly twitched. Her expression remained grim, as if they were walking off to an execution rather than just to go home. "Snow?"

"Do you really think we can just put everything behind us?"

The poorly fabricated smile on Regina's face fell, and for a brief moment, the Evil Queen showed in her eyes. "No, we can't just pretend the past never happened. _I _can't just pretend the past never happened. But...I'm trying."

The princess looked at the almost pleading sincerity in her stepmother's eyes, and felt the bitterness melting away. She was trying, Snow knew, and it was going to be a gradual progress. If Snow really wanted this to happen, to get her mother back, she'd need to be supportive.

"I-I know."

The air lapsed back into tension and silence, but the quietness was easier to endure than poor attempts at pleasant conversation. Briefly, Regina's mind trailed back to her plan; it would be so much easier to just stab the princess right now, rather than go through a lengthy process of redemption and repent for her sins.

The ominous thoughts went away when the visions of a young teenage girl, a rider, a selfless, pure-hearted girl came back into her mind. She wanted to be that person again, and her step daughter was the only one that could help her achieve it.

"Snow!" Regina's heart leaped to her throat when the foolish girl stepped out into the open clearing. The queen yanked her back before a guard could spot her. "My guards are _scouring_ the kingdom looking for you! Do you think they'd greet you with open arms upon finding you?!"

For a girl who had intelligently thwarted her every attempt at disposing her, she really could be stupid sometimes. "Stay behind me."

The Queen strode nonchalantly into the clearing, and Snow cautiously followed behind, her bow drawn and ready on the defense it it needed to be.

Claude straightened immediately. "Your Majesty, I'm afraid there are no leads on Snow..." He trailed off, hazel eyes staring, absolutely perplexed by the vision of Snow White, _not in chains_, but standing calmly behind her step mother, and Regina visibly guarding her.

"Call off the search, as I've found her. And you will all leave her alone. Inform the castle we've arrived."

Claude just stared. He knew he shouldn't, and he knew the queen was getting closer to slicing off his head with every moment he hesitated, but he couldn't help it. His guards had been searching day and night, spread across the land looking for Snow White, and she was right here. Behind his Queen.

"Your Majesty...why is the prin-"

"I don't believe instructing an order should invite questioning, Claude," Regina retorted, her eyes wide and dangerous, and insinuating harsh punishment could befall the guard. "Do as I say or it will be your head."

The guard mumbled out an apology and hurried off, as the queen and nervous princess made their way into the castle, not missing the way servants' eyes widened in shock and stared at them as they walked by.

"It's interesting...I would have assumed I'd be more warmly welcomed," Snow said quietly with an awkward, soft laugh. "You'd think they all thought I was dead." Or all expected she would have been brought back as a dead body, and not just casually prancing behind her stepmother.

"Where are we going?"

"We're changing you," Regina responded. Snow stopped in her tracks and Regina slowly turned around.

"Into...one of your gowns?" The perplexed girl questioned, head tilted to the side in confusion. She supposed she could wear a few of her stepmother's lighter gowns, if they even survived in her dark phase. It was better than rags, and tailoring clothes took a while.

The Queen merely gave her step daughter a puzzled look, and with a wave of her hand, opened the old, dusty, but amazingly intact bedroom.

Snow's eyes filled the moment she gazed at the room. It was _still_ there, all of it. Nothing was burned, nothing was ripped and ruined—she still had her old bedroom; from the stand that held her jewelry, to the portrait of her father. Nothing was destroyed, nothing was burned in a fit of rage. The only ailments her possessions had was a network of cobwebs covering them.

"It's...it's all here." The princess shook her head in disbelief, her ruby lips trembling as she gazed at her old bedroom. Everything was there, everything was the same and just the way she left it. "I'd assume...you had burned everything." She looked at her step mother. "So what stopped you?"

Regina shrugged as she walked back, holding something in her hands. It twinkled and glinted in the sunlight. "The same thing that stopped me in the woods." She didn't elaborate, but she didn't need to.

Snow beamed, prideful tears in her eyes as Regina slipped the old crown onto her head and stood back to gaze at her.

For the first time, the ice coating Regina's heart melted, and the smile she gave the girl was genuine, unlike the ones she forced while secretly planning her child's demise in her mind.

Back in an old, earth toned gown with her rightful tiara, Snow looked like a princess again. And more than that, with those gentle eyes, and that kind smile, she reminded Regina of herself at that age.

"...You look beautiful, dear."

Snow White gave a soft, fond laugh. "I remember this dress. It was during a summer ball that I wore it for the first time. I wanted to wear it because you had a similar dress. I wanted to...to look like you."

The smile on Regina's face fell and her expression turned somber. "You always did. You always wanted to...be like me." She swallowed. "And I hope that's changed. I hope you don't want to be me now..."

"...I don't," Snow responded, "Unless you give me a reason to. ...Can you?"

The queen curled a finger around her step daughter's locks, and gave a sincere look. "I...might be able to."

The princess smiled and tugged her hair out of the collar of her dress, delicately brushing her hands over the diamonds imbedded on her crown. "And I figured you would have destroyed this as well. Or at least taken it for yourself."

There was a glint of mirth in the queen's eyes as she gazed at the crown thoughtfully and shrugged. "I could have...but it's not my style."


	3. Author's Note

My sincere apologies for letting this fic go for so long. I haven't forgotten it and I have a set plot that should lead it to about ten chapters.

Life has just been very busy and difficult, but I will get to updating hopefully within a few days! Thank you all so much for your feedback and you're all wonderful!


	4. Chapter 3

_(God guys I'm so sorry it took so, so long to update this. There was a lot of drama and crap in my life-both online and off. But now that I'm back I hope to update this at least every two weeks now, rather than like every two months. *shakes head* I hope the sweetness in this chapter makes up for the wait.)_

* * *

The skies had just been painted orange with sunlight when Regina stepped out of her bedchambers. She was wearing a regal, purple dress with her hair back in a bun. It was a change from her usual black dresses, but she didn't want to scare Snow with her new gaudy dressing style. She walked out into the dining hall, expecting to see a certain princess patiently waiting to be served. Instead, Regina found Snow's chair bare.

_What, does she think she still needs to hunt for her meals?_

She snorted at the mental image of princess Snow White, in a gown, out there in the woods shooting bow and arrows at squirrels while the cooks watched in confusion from the window. After entertaining herself with that little picture, Regina walked back to the bedchambers.

"Snow?" She peered into the girl's bedroom, wondering if these months without lessons and court led to a habit of sleeping in, but the bedroom was empty.

Regina was just about to leave and search somewhere else, when something in the distance caught her eye. Puzzled, she made her way over to the window and pulled up the sash, leaning out. There was Snow White, in a green dress, knelt down in the soil of the palace garden.

Regina walked out through the palace doors and stood by the garden, watching. Snow hadn't seen her yet, too busy playing in the dirt and humming as she did it. Regina clicked her tongue in disapproval. If she knew all the princess wanted to do was play in the dirt, she would have given her clothes made out of the table cloth.

"I suppose a stay in the woods transforms elegant swans to little mud rats?" the queen called with an amused smirk.

Snow spun around in surprise and smiled at the queen. "So that's what happened."

"What are you doing, dear? You're going to ruin a good dress!"

The princess gave a slight laugh as she gazed down at the green lace. "We're royalty, Regina. We don't exactly have rags to wear."

"No, perhaps we don't," the queen agreed, "But at the very least you could ask me to magic up some flowers for you."

Snow's face turned solemn, that impish, playful smile dropping as a wave of discomfort fell over her. Magic; it was magic that helped turn the once pure-hearted woman's heart dark, magic that ruined everything. Magic that she wouldn't even save her mother with...

And Regina could tell, judging by the tight, grim expression on the girl's face, that it was best not to bring that up again. "Well...I suppose there's something special about planting a garden by hand, anyway." She turned to leave the princess to play in the dirt some more, but a quiet voice stopped her.

"Would you like to join me?"

She whirled abruptly, the look on her face suggesting that Snow had asked the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard of. And it was. Her, a regal queen? Down in the dirt? _Planting flowers? _The girl had to be joking. How could she suggest she'd actually want to play in the dirt with her? How insulting!

She wasn't even about to dignify the absurd suggestion with a response and turned to leave, when something stopped her. A memory, an old nostalgic image, and painting in her mind.

_A young girl sitting in the soil in a blue, ruffled dress. A bitter Queen by her side. Regina remembered being forced to spend time with the child princess, and the memory of planting the garden with her were one of the only few not tainted by hatred and darkness. _

_Regina remembered at the end of the afternoon, when she sat there and held back tears as she remembered her and Daniel having picnics around her mother's old garden, a small hibiscus flower was tucked into her hair by tiny hands._

_"The flowers will never compare to your beauty..."_

Fighting back the threat of tears, Regina slowly turned back to her stepdaughter. Older face, same beauty, innocence, and hopefulness.

"What flowers are we planting?"

"Hibiscus," was the princess's response.

Hibiscus flowers, the same kind 'Wilma' had given to Snow, and the very flowers Regina remembered planting with her step daughter.

The Queen felt ridiculous being down in the soil in one of her beautiful gowns, and holding a trowel in her hand like a simple commoner. She shouldn't be doing this, she had no reason to do this; this was why palaces had gardeners. But knowing what this meant to Snow seemed to make it all feel worth it.

"You always adored those," Regina said, as she shoved the trowel into the dirt and created a shallow hole. "I remember the garden, where you had me sit with you for hours so you could plant your favorite flower."

"It was never the flowers or the garden I adored," Snow White responded, and Regina turned to see the sad, reminiscent smile on her face. "It was being with you... All I cared about was finding a way to make you happy. I wanted to see that smile on your face—the smile I saw the day I met you. I always tried to do all I could to bring the smile back to you, but I never managed to succeed..."

Gods, she was just supposed to plant some flowers, not start to cry! "Well...there were many times when you almost succeeded," she told her step daughter, and tried to keep the shakiness out of her voice. "The time in the garden...the many pictures you drew, and poems you made me. That time you tried to make me an apple pie, and just wound up destroying the kitchen in the process."

Snow laughed softly. "Oh, I remember that. I wasn't allowed in the kitchen by myself, and I did it anyway. I remember father wanted you to punish me, and you weren't able to do it."

"No, I couldn't," Regina agreed. "It was about the only time I didn't want to cause you any sort of suffering. Instead I shielded you and said I had given you permission to use the kitchen on your own. And it was me that ended up getting in trouble."

"You protected me," Snow pointed out, her eyes wide with admiration and love. "There were many times you protected me."

"...Because you were the only person that cared."

Snow White wanted to fight that, protest and list off a number of people that cared for Regina as much as she had, but her words died on her tongue. There were no names. Not even her father that she knew of. There was no one but her that cared.

"You're right, I adored you. I only wish it was enough to save you from the path you chose to take. But I know...you needed more than me to counter the darkness."

Was this the way it was going to be now? Every attempt to spend time together would only turn into a bleeding, heart-to-heart discussion? Well, it was better than trying to kill each other each time.

Regina cleared her throat and only started shoveling the dirt without giving a response. The last thing she wanted to do was wind up crying right now. For the next few minutes no words were exchanged, and the only sounds was the digging of dirt and chirping of birds.

The hibiscus flowers were all planted an hour later, and the two dirty royals sat back for a moment and gazed down at them. The petals fluttered gently in the breeze.

"What are your favorite flowers?"

A pang struck Regina's heart as she remembered a day spent with Daniel; one where they managed to get away from Cora, and be alone. She remembered galloping on Rocinante by his side, and laughing as he tackled her off her horse, and into a patch of...

"Gardenias..." Regina whispered, the old-age pain bringing tears back to her eyes. "They are my favorite flowers. Daniel and I found a patch of them once when we went off together. I brought a few home and planted them, but..." She bit her lip, trying to keep her expression from crumbling. "My mother was angry...that I went off with Daniel. She crushed the flowers under her feet."

Snow's heart went out to the woman, and she resisted the urge to hug her, instead placing hand on her shoulder. "When I was younger I couldn't understand love. I know...Daniel was your true love, but I was never able to understand why you couldn't grow love my father." She tried to ignore the bitter, cold scoff from the other woman. "He was a kind man...and it was hard for me to understand why he couldn't be your love as well."

"I couldn't love even if I tried..." Regina said coldly. "I was incapable of it after..." She bit her lip. The words were right there, but she couldn't say them. All these years dreamed of the look of horror and anguish on the girl's face when she at lat realized the devastation she caused, and still. Regina couldn't bring herself to say it. "After Daniel...ran away."

They were both quiet for a moment, and then Snow innocently spoke, "If I ever find true love, will I have your support?"

Regina turned to her so sharply her dress almost whipped into the girl's face.

"_What?"_

"If I ever find my true love, and get married...will I have your blessing?"

_No! You insolent girl, you're the reason I will never be truly happy! You don't get to have what was taken from me! You don't get my happy ending! _Her mind screamed in anger, but she herself fell silent.

The one thing the queen had always envisioned more than anything were the tears on Snow's pale face as she screamed in protest as she watched Regina end the life of the one she loved right in front of her. An eye for an eye, Regina always thought darkly. In this moment, she had an entirely different mindset altogether.

If Snow got married and left...she really would be alone.

Regina took the girl's hands without thinking, and looked earnestly into her eyes. "Promise me if you ever lose your love that you won't turn to darkness."

"Wh...what?"

"Promise me you'll keep the light in your heart," Regina whispered. Tears had begun to brim again. "No matter what happens, don't let yourself be consumed with hate. It may be the easiest thing to do, but don't ever take the easy way of things. Don't ever turn out like I did."

Gods alive, if she ever had to watch Snow White fall into the destruction pattern she did she didn't know what she'd do. All these years, even as she was the source of her darkness, Snow was the last, dim flicker of light in Regina.

"I promise," was all Snow could say, squeezing her step mother's hands tightly.

Regina stood and brushed the dirt from her dress, before instinctively, without thinking, doing the same with Snow.

"Get washed up for breakfast," the queen instructed, not even realizing she sounded like a mother there. "The cooks have been waiting long enough, and I'm sure you're looking forward to a genuine meal you don't have to scrape off a tree or out of a burrow."

"Or spear one from your livestock," Snow couldn't help but laugh, and the tension was eased more when Regina managed a slight smile.

Snow White watched as the queen slipped through the palace doors, and hung back for a moment. She waited until she saw her step mother's silhouette leave the window and went to find a palace servant.

"Lee?"

A blond haired servant carrying a basket of laundry turned to the princess. "Yes, your highness?"

"Do you think you could go into the market later today? There's something I want you to pick up..."

* * *

It was around dessert, when the sun was already setting, and Snow had happily dove into her first cream croissant in ages. As Regina said, anything she didn't have to spear to eat was a first in a while.

"It baffles me how you haven't just tried to wolf down your dessert," Regina had to comment, "Seeing how you must be starving."

Snow made sure to swallow before speaking, and licked the sugar off her lips. "Well I do remember my etiquette lessons from when I was a young girl." She daintily dabbed a lacy napkin to her chin and peered over her stepmother's shoulder when she saw Lee poke his head in the door.

The mischievous girl stood up from the table and tucked her hands behind her back. She had that kind of smile Regina never liked; it always meant she was up to something.

"Follow me, Regina."

Regina didn't seem particularly interested in doing so, but the almost childish _tug _on her arm forced her to comply, as well as balk. "Snow!" The insolent girl didn't respond, only continuing to tug the older woman in excitement until she finally fell into step with her.

Regina was led back out the palace doors, and she groaned and heavily rolled her eyes. "Snow, for the love of the gods, we _just _planted..." She trailed off.

Amidst the hibiscus blossoms rippling in the breeze, under the bright sun, was a different flower. The middle petals swirled together to form a rose, while the outer ones formed like a fan.

"A gardenia..." Regina whispered, her voice incredibly choked again. "You planted a gardenia...for me?"

The pale face at her side beamed. "Everyone deserves to have their favorite flower in their garden. Unfortunately, that was the only one Lee managed to find. But I had a feeling you'd still appreciate it."

A gardenia... In the past, whenever Regina saw gardenias, her heart broke. They were her favorite flower, but at the same time, a terrible reminder of the love she lost, watching the flowers be crushed under her mother's heel...

Now as she delicately touched the petals of the flower, and flashed back to happy memories; love, laughter, and joy...she smiled. "Doesn't it look out of place among all the other flowers?"

"Well I'm hoping to plant more anyway," Snow responded. "A variety—roses, lilies, and maybe even some tulips!" Her face brightened the way it always did when she was young, and suddenly she was that innocent ten year old.

The queen gazed at the excitement with a growing fondness, her expression taking on the same adoration it once held so long ago.

_She was reading a book back in her chambers. Recently she had been moved to her own room, away from the King. To her it hardly made a difference; she would never feel secure, never feel happy, and more importantly, she'd never feel free._

_What sounded like a distant explosion went off, and smoke filled the hallways, drifting into her room. Her eyes widened as she flung down her book and hurried down the halls in her over sized gown._

_She could make out a small form there in the smoke, coughing and waving a hand in front of her face._

_"Snow?" Regina demanded in shock and fear, staring at the devastation around her—what could even be seen in the smoke anyway._

_As if the child didn't even see the disaster scattered her, as if she didn't even see the flames leaping from the charred oven, she merely smiled and held out what looked to be a disfigured pie. "I made you something!"_


End file.
